Mafia Billionaire’s Forlorn Wife
Chapter 59

|Flashback, 5 Years Ago|

It has been fifteen days since I left America and came all the way to Salazar, a highly secretive organisation located higher up in the snowy mountain ranges of Switzerland.

And after all the medical examinations and procedures, it is now more than evident that my baby is healthy and growing in my womb and that is the only thing I am glad about.

Because everything else feels like s**t.

After bringing me here, Kian introduced me to the higher authorities at Salazar and I got introduced to the crude and extensively exhausting lifestyle that the trainees lead here. Kian explained how I will become one of those trainees as soon as I have had my baby but before that, for the last one week, Kian has been taking me to early morning yoga sessions and using traditional methods of spiritual healing and Indian meditation styles to get my mind and body out of the trauma that I faced before coming here.

Salazar is completely cut off from the rest of the world and no one can even find it if it doesn’t want to be found. Kian did tell me that they have a good systemic set up to remain in touch with the rest of the world, there is even a laptop set up in the suite that is provided for me, but so far, I haven’t felt the urge to know anything about what’s happening out there.

Most probably people are still covering my disappearance in the media and I have no intention of stumbling upon anything that shows Rhys’ face or him being out and about with Amelia.

I don’t want to see all that anymore. I don’t want to remember anything about the hell that I have just come out of. It’s just completely impossible for me.

Every time I go to bed, I lay awake thinking about Rhys and the life I had with him. Every time I momentarily go to sleep, I end up wondering about what life would have been like if Rhys also fell for me the same way that I fell for him.

A tear pools up in my eye as I take in a deep breath, feeling the initial pangs of a headache forming as I shake my head and try to think about something else.

My palm instantly goes to rest on my abdomen as I gently stroke my skin with my thumb while I look around the small suite that has been assigned to me at this academy.

The suite comprises of a spacious bedroom with a queen sized plush bed and all the necessary amenities, a spacious closet that is mostly empty except for a few basic items that Kian procured for me, an en suite with luxury fittings and finally a smaller dining and living area that is separated from the bedroom by a cascading waterfall partition.

All in all, designed in the luxurious blacks and beige decor, this suite is more than spacious for one person, especially with a large window spanning the entire wall beside the bed that showcases sweeping landscapes of ethereal mountains and a milky stream flowing downwards.

The view is beautiful, I have a twenty four-seven on call doctor monitoring my health, the food is made by top class gourmet chefs, and if I need anything, Kian is at my disposal no matter what time it is.

My life should feel fuller, happier, and healthier.

But instead, all I feel is pain, anxiety, and a crippling fear of surviving in a place where I know nothing about nobody.

Everything I once knew is gone.

My company, my work, Leo, Ace, Vernon, Frida…and Rhys.

The name once again sends an aching shard through my heart as I push back into the armchair that is located just beside the landscape window and for a brief moment, I just close my eyes.

It hurts.

A strangled sob escapes my lips as I squeeze my eyes shut— trying to keep the moisture restrained in them but an irritated sob escapes my lips when I feel my tears spilling on my cheeks.

“Stop crying for f**k’s sake!” I scold myself, shaking my head as I rub the heel of my palm into my eyes, trying to get my shoulders to stop quaking because of the weight of my sobs as I sit frustrated at my own self.

This is what I have been up to since I came here. I haven’t been able to stop crying.

f*****g hell—

My thoughts are interrupted when the bell to my suite rings, indicating that there is someone outside and I furrow my brows as I look at the digital clock placed on my night stand.

It’s well past noon.

There are no activities that I am required for during this time of the day and it is not even time for my lunch yet.

Wiping furiously at my eyes with the back of my thick cardigan sleeve, I manage to stand up straight before taking a few deep breaths and walking out into the living area that is also currently illuminated by a landscape window spanning an entire wall, I finally reach the door and open it to find Kian leaning against the side of the door frame.

My eyes widen seeing him, “Kian.” I stutter out unexpectedly as I look around him, seeing if he’s alone or if he has brought some other guru or guide with him to meet me— he’s been doing that a lot in these last few days.

Sometimes I confuse this academy for training mercenaries to actually be an elite rehab in disguise. They have all the amenities for that after all.

“You’ve been crying.” Kian blurts out, noticing my face with an inquisitive look in his eyes while his lips are pulled down in his signature frown.

He has his hair up in a bun again, making me realise that I’ve never seen him with his hair down in the last two weeks since I have met him, and as usual, he has one of his dark shawls resting on his shoulders and then just flowing down the length of his arms.

Kian Akhtar is really an enigma in everything that he does— how he speaks, his way of carrying himself, his way of observing everything with the silence and alertness of a viper…it is all indicative of the number of layers this man has and perhaps, if I was still the girl I used to be, I would have been interested in learning about him and even making him a friend.

But now, it’s just better for me to never get attached to anyone else for the rest of my life. I have had enough of failed relationships to last me ten lifetimes.

“I don’t suppose that should come as a surprise to you.” I mutter, reminding him of the number of times I have burst into tears during one of the spiritual healing practices that he’s had me do.

He stares at me for a moment, silently observing me with his dark eyes before he nods his head in acceptance, “can I come in?” He asks politely.

Feeling unsettled, I step aside, just gesturing him to enter and when he does, his large frame makes my enormous suite look like a doll house.

This is the kind of effect that Rhys used to have on every room he entered.

Another bout of anxiety threatens to rise inside me as I let the door close as I turn around to face Kian, “is there something that we’ve to do right now?” I ask him, trying my best to keep my voice even and stable but still, I do feel my heartbeat increasing because of my raging thoughts about my ex husband.

Kian nods his head, “this time is supposed to be one of the best ones for hydrotherapy. You’ve woken up a few hours ago, done your basic meditation, and clearly your mind is too occupied right now. And afterwards, you will feel hungry so you can have your lunch too.”

I scowl, “can we try this tomorrow? I’m really not in the mood for anything new right now.” And grumbling that, I walk over to the couch and just flop down before picking up a fluffy pillow and hugging it to my chest.

I feel Kian’s gaze on me but I still don’t say anything.

This is the first time I have declined one of his practiced, even though I know that his methods do work and they have helped me a lot more than I expected in such short time, but right now, I just don’t want to do anything.

The couch shifts and I raise my head to find Kian sitting beside me with a rare grin on his lips.

“What?” I utter out, staring at him, wondering why he’s suddenly so happy.

“You said no.” He states softly.

I give him a quizzical look, “yeah, so? I don’t feel like going for one of your practices today. I just want to rest.”

His grin widens, “that’s progress.”

I am more confused than anything, “but…how?” I ask, trying to keep my irritation at bay but finding it really hard to do so.

Kian smiles some more, “in fifteen days, today is the first time you’ve declined. Today is the first time that you’re taking back some of the authority over your own life and not doing what’s suggested or expected of you. That’s progress.”

My eyes widen as I stare at him because of the realisation.

He is smiling at me silently while I try to process his words, playing the last fifteen days once again in my head as I realise that he’s correct.

I have, in fact, been following orders and suggestions like a f*****g puppy but today, for the first time, I have declined something.

I took authority of my own actions back.

The realisation brings tears in my eyes but for the first time, I accept them as happy tears instead of painful ones.

And for once, I sit there and bask in this small victory that may seem insignificant to everyone else but means the whole world for me.

Because it shows that perhaps, just maybe, my healing has already begun.

|End of Flashback|

“MOM!”

My lips curl up in the largest grin as I enter our mansion through the foyer and drop to my knees the moment I hear the patter of small footsteps running towards me as I spread my arms the moment I find my beautiful daughter come running towards me.

“Momma! I missed you!” She squeals and I make a show of falling backwards slightly as she wraps her arms around me and an ‘oomph’ escapes my lips which makes her laugh.

Grinning with pure happiness, I wrap my baby girl in my arms, just breathing her in as I keep her close to myself. “I missed you too, baby, I missed you too my little Meera.” I tell her as I k**s the side of her head. Meera is a nickname that she’s given herself, it came from Meda because she was unable to pronounce her full name and then it became Meera the more she said it.

Andromeda is the most beautiful part of my life. Hell, she is what my life basically comprises of. Everything that I do is for her, everything that I have done so far has been for her. A smile on her face is all I work towards and when she tells me how much she loves me, I feel as though the stars are bestowing their blessings on me.

She pulls back happily and I cannot stop myself from cupping her small face and peppering her cheeks and forehead with my k****s until she’s giggling and squealing uncontrollably, trying to get me to stop.

I chuckle as I finally pull back before smiling at her as my eyes meet her midnight blue ones.

“Momma, you take all my k****s away! How will I have any left for uncie Ki?” She asks in the most adorable voice and my heart bursts in joy inside my chest.

“Your uncie Ki will have to deal with the loss, little one. Your momma doesn’t let anyone have your affection.” Kian comments from where he’s standing behind me and I turn my head slightly to give him a playful glare.

Kian and Andromeda too share a unique bond and it always warms my heart and makes me miss Leo whenever I see the way Kian looks after my daughter.

I’ve only been able to meet Leo thrice in the last five years, and even though I have been in touch with him through Kian, it is empirical to ensure mine and Andromeda’s safety that I keep as little contact with my past life as possible.

A lot has happened in these five years. A lot has changed. I have way more enemies than before and bringing in past connections to the present is only going to make things more dangerous for my daughter.

“Come on, sweetheart, let’s go eat.” I say to her as I start to pick her up in my arms. Even though she started walking on her own when she was merely ten months old, I still love carrying her around whenever I can.

“Ah ah ah, I’ll be taking her now while you go and freshen up.”

Apparently Kian feels the same way about carrying her around as he takes her from my arms and I pout while my little Meera giggles and wraps her arms around Kian’s neck as she places an affectionate k**s on his cheek.

“How does he get a k**s and I don’t?” I gape dramatically as I place my hands on my waist, portraying just how saddened I am.

Andromeda giggles, “that’s because you took all my k****s alweady.” She tells me like she’s telling me a special secret.

I jut out my bottom l*p, giving her my favourite puppy eyes and her eyes widen.

“Oh, no, momma’s sad. Uncie Ki, can we pwease give her a k**s?” She asks turning to Kian immediately and surprisingly, copying my exact puppy face and applying it on him.

He gapes at her and then gives me the most playful accusatory glance, “I cannot believe that you taught her that! You both will be insufferable because of that now!”

I giggle and Kian huffs dramatically as he brings Andromeda towards me and she places her small palms on both my cheeks before she brings her lips towards me and places a gentle k**s on my nose.

My heart soars in my chest and for the first time in the whole of my stressful day, I feel at peace and inclined with all the positive energies that this universe has been projecting towards me.

I catch Kian watching me with an intent smile on his own lips but I don’t say much to him, knowing that he’s just happy seeing me this way.

He knows that the side I show to the rest of the world and the side that I show to my Meera are two completely different versions of me.

“Come on, let’s see if we can defeat your maa in a race to the kitchen.” And with that, all I hear is Andromeda’s squeal of excitement as Kian dashes away with her and I chuckle, shaking my head at his antics.

Crossing the main living room, I take the left staircase that opens up onto the first floor of the mansion and with the mezzanine balconies looking down into the living room and the giant chandelier hanging from the ceiling, I take the first hallway to my left and quickly make my way to my bedroom.

Sometimes I still sit in awe at the beauty of this mansion, no matter how much struggle was put into reaching here in the first place.

Like I said, a lot has happened in the last five years.

And everything that I have done has been to protect my daughter and to stop these mercenaries working under me from doing anything too heinous.

I quickly freshen up and change out of my work pant suit before donning a pair of burgundy silk pyjamas comprising of an ankle length, fur hemmed bottoms along with a matching shirt that also has fur lining the ends of the sleeves.

Feeling better after my smaller, post work skin care routine, I walk out of the room in my fuzzy slippers only to hear the bark of my favourite boy from behind me.

A large grin overtakes my lips as I turn around and find the mightiest black great dane charging towards me as he practically raises his paws and hugs me around the neck, covering my entire height as I giggle and rub his back.

“Who’s my good boy? Who’s my good boy?” I coo and he wags his tail as he finally stops and I scratch behind his ear as he pulls back and comes onto his four paws again, “Rus is! Isn’t he? Isn’t Rus a good boy?”

He barks in agreement as I k**s his head, pressing my forehead against his for a few moments as I rub his sides, letting him bask in the fact that I am back from a whole day of being gone.

Today was one of those long days when I couldn’t come back home even for lunch. And even though this mansion stands on the academy grounds and there was absolutely no safety concern as such, I have still felt on edge after not seeing Meera or Rus for the entire day.

“Mom’s here now.” I whisper to him and he whimpers a little, nudging my cheek with his snout, as if to tell me how much he’s missed me.

I smile as I stand up, “come on, Meera and Ki are in the kitchen, it’s time for dinner now.”

He perks up at that, practically bouncing at each step as he walks beside me with his tail wagging in delight.

Cerberus— or Rus for short— came into our lives when I rescued him from one of my first trips to Italy with Meera. He was merely a week old puppy, stuck at the side of a canal, just barely hanging on. Kian went with us— fulfilling his bodyguard and, as it was established by then, best friend duties and he was the one who pulled him out. But it was just one look from this beautiful baby, and I knew that I was never going to let him go.

That had been two and a half years ago.

And now, he’s all big and burly and sometimes forgets his own size when he tries to force his way onto my lap on movie nights. Meera has a blast seeing that.

Another thing about my beautiful little beast is that he is extremely protective over Andromeda.

Extremely.

One time one of the new recruits at the academy had come home to deliver some paperwork and Meera was the one who answered the door. Cerberus acted so quickly and stealthily that had I not interrupted on time, the man would have probably had an open flesh wound.

The poor fellow was so scared after that incident that word spread and except for a handful— the ones Cerberus considers alright— all recruits stopped coming here.

By the time we reach the kitchen, I hear Kian and Andromeda talking animatedly while the scent of truffle sauce cooking tickles my senses and brings a wide grin to my lips.

Rus skips forward and I follow him to find Meera sitting on the far end of the kitchen island while Kian stands in front of her, ensuring that she doesn’t fall while the two of them talk.

My gaze travels to the redheaded woman standing behind the stove as she hums happily while cooking and when she meets my gaze, her grin widens.

“Hello, Ms. Bella.” She greets me politely in the same manner that she has greeted me for the last five years.

“Hi Fiona. What’s for dinner today?” I ask her, taking in the way she has held up her hair in a crown braid that covers the top of her head with only a few smaller tendrils falling out.

Fiona was a helper at the academy and she was the first person that Kian introduced me to when he first brought me to the suite that was assigned for me.

Fiona had worked at Salazar since she was a child and like most people there, she was highly trained in most forms of self defence and a few of offence as well. However, after losing half of her right leg, Fiona was left with no choice but to either leave the academy and live anywhere in the world with all things taken care of, or stay and help out wherever possible.

She obviously chose the second option because the grounds of Salazar were all she ever knew and had never wanted to leave.

And so, at the moment, she runs my household, takes care of my babies when I’m not here, and keeps Kian’s ego in check with her sass.

She’s about a decade older than me but her spirits are as young as they come.

“Tagliatelle in truffle sauce.” She tells me with an excited grin, knowing well enough how much I love this particular recipe of hers.

“With truffle shavings and the cheese wheel swirl?” I ask eagerly, taking a seat on the opposite side of the counter.

Fiona grins, “you bet.”

Smiling delightfully, I turn my head towards Kian who has now brought Andromeda towards me as I open my arms and she jumps in my embrace before sitting down on my laps.

I chuckle while Kian bends down to scratch the back of Rus’ ear before he leans towards Meera and places a k**s on her head, “I’ll get freshened up. Be back in fifteen.”

And with another k**s placed on my forehead, he dashes out, leaving me smiling softly.

I look down and find Andromeda trying to reach towards Rus but he stands tall with that playful look on his face that tells me that he’s deliberately trying to tease her.

She grunts angrily, unable to reach her favourite buddy from where she’s sitting on my lap in the high chair.

“Do you want to play catch with Rus, Meera?” I ask her softly, smiling at both my kids who love each other to their soul.

Rus starts wagging his tail listening to that and Andromeda immediately nods her head.

I giggle and then pick her up before gently setting her down on the ground as she finally patters towards Cerberus and he lets her hug him this time.

“Don’t go too far, dinner is about to be done.” I call out to them as Rus barks in response and Meera sing-songs in agreement.

Smiling, I turn back towards Fiona who’s looking at me with a slight frown.

“What’s wrong?” I ask her, looking around, wondering what has her in such a sour mood suddenly.

“You know he loves you, right?” She blurts out, her tone changing from friendly to reprimanding— which she only uses when she feels that I am doing something wrong.

I know she’s talking about Kian because we’ve had this conversation a thousand times.

I sigh, “I had a long day, Fi…” I try to reason with her.

I know exactly what Kian feels for me and I have given him plenty of chances to distance himself from me so that he can find someone better, someone who can love him back.

But neither does he pursue me, nor does he pull himself back, and scolds me for doing it if I try it myself.

“I don’t know why you’re still hung up over that good for nothing husband of yours!” She grumbles under her breath, “it’s not like you’ll be seeing him again. Kian is such a good boy and he loves you, Meera and Rus love her…I don’t know what the bloody hold up is…”

The hold up is just what you said, Fi. I’m still in love with Rhys. Even after five years of not seeing him. Even after knowing that I will never see him again.

I still love him.